The present invention relates to generally wheeled storage racks, bookshelves or the like, and more particularly storage racks, bookshelves or the like which may be moved along rails when an operator rotates a handwheel.
There has been devised and demonstrated a storage rack system in which, in order to make full use of a limited storage space, a large number of wheeled storage racks or the like are arrayed on the rails laid on the floor and one of them is moved with respect to the adjacent one to provide a passage to allow a worker or librarian access to a desired storage rack or bookshelf. Each storage rack or bookshelf is provided with a handle so that one may grip it to push a storage rack or the like to a desired position. However the manual movement of a large-sized storage rack or the like becomes difficult because of its heavy weight so that the sizes of a storage rack or the like are limited. As a result, it is impossible to make the fullest possible use of the available storage space. To overcome this problem, there has been suggested the use of an electric motor for rolling heavy storage racks or the like, but the installation cost is very expensive because some parts of the driving mechanism must be disposed in the floor. The installation cost would also become prohibitive when each storage rack or the like is equipped with an individual motor.
Another important problem encountered in the storage rack system of the type described is that an operator or librarian is sandwiched between the adjacent storage racks or the like when someone moves a storage rack or the like without noticing that his colleague is in the passage between the storage racks or the like. Moreover when the rails are inclined, there is a danger that a storage rack or the like starts to roll by itself and collides against the adjacent storage rack so that the articles stored thereupon may be seriously damaged.
In view of the above, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a wheeled storage rack or the like which may be easily moved along the rails laid on the storage floor when an operator rotates a handwheel attached to one side wall of the storage rack and drivingly coupled to the wheel through a power transmission mechanism.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled storage rack or the like of the type described further comprising a locking device for holding stationary the storage rack in a desired position and preventing it from free rolling even when the rails are inclined.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled storage rack or the like of the type described further comprising a safety device or safety locking device so that when one who is in the passage between the storage racks hits or touches a swingable buffer plate extending transversely across the whole opening of the storage rack, the storage rack may be immediately locked in position, thereby always securing a safe working space between the adjacent storage racks.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled storage rack or the like of the type described which may store therein a large number of objects and may permit the fullest possible use of a given storage space.